By EARL WATT• Daily LeaderFor the first time in post season play, the Liberal Redskins found themselves playing catch-up.Not only did Liberal tie the game against Bishop Carroll in the quarterfinal Class 5A playoff game, but the Redskins went on to a dominating 4-1 win in front of the largest crowd of the season and advanced to the state tournament Friday in Emporia.The Golden Eagles only took one shot in the first half, and it skirted by Frederick Gomez when Carroll’s Jason McNeal beat the Redskin defense on the wing and kicked a center pass to Kolby Franklin who scored the goal with 10:56 to play in the first half.But the Redskins responded five minutes later when Isai Gutierrez sent a pass to Jose Chavira in between two Carroll defenders. Chavira was able to fight off the two Golden Eagles and send the ball past the goalkeeper who had strayed out form the goal to challenge Chavira.With 2:33 to play before half, the Redskins took a 2-1 lead when Gutierrez was the recipient of a deflection about five yards away form the Carroll goal and sent a rocket to the back of the net.Soccoro Martinez provided an insurance goal with 34:31 to play in the second half when he received a pass form Jose Flores and sent a shot into the goal for a 3-1 Redskin lead.The final goal came from Hector Mata who received a pass from Jason Rios and sent a shot from 25 yards out that got by a diving Carroll goalkeeper for a 4-1 lead.Carroll posed no serious threat the rest of the way.Carroll employed a similar tactic that McPherson tried against the Redskins by packing most of its players near the goal and playing little offense.“They scored right off the bat and then sat back in defense,” Liberal coach Lori Navarro said. “Thank goodness we scored and forced them to open up. This was a real challenge for us.”Navarro and the Redskins are headed back to familiar territory — the Final Four.“It’s an amazing feeling,” Navarro said. “There are four teams left, and we are one of them. It doesn't matter if someone says you are good, you still have to make it and represent Liberal.”One advantage the Redskins have, according to Navarro, is the conditioning.“We pride ourselves on that,” Navarro said.Carroll was making numerous substitutions during the game to keep fresh legs on the field, but the Redskins stayed with their regular line-up and occasional sub.“I believe that too much rotation takes away form the consistency on the field,” she said.Still, the Redskins did not have the success with the set plays that Navarro expects at this stage of the season.“I didn’t feel like we are where we need to be,” she said. “We are not ready for our set plays. We should be better than this for the playoffs.”Liberal (15-1-3) will face Topeka Seaman (11-6-2) while St. Thomas Aquinas (16-3-0) will face Kapaun (14-5-0). The two winners will play Saturday for the state championship.

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The High Plains Daily Leader and Southwest Daily Times are published Sunday through Friday and reaches homes throughout the Liberal, Kansas retail trade zone. The Leader & Times is the official newspaper of Seward County, USD No. 480, USD No. 483 and the cities of Liberal and Kismet. The Leader & Times is a member of the Liberal Chamber of Commerce, the Kansas Press Association, the National Newspaper Association and the Associated Press.

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